UPDATE: Manatee High coach Frazier resigns

Hundreds of pornographic images were found on his school computer, sources say. Frazier is accused of groping students at the school.

CHRIS ANDERSON KATY BERGEN

Hundreds of pornographic images were found on the school computer of former Manatee High assistant football coach and parent liaison Rod Frazier, according to sources close to the investigation.

It is not clear if the discovery of the images played a role in Frazier's decision Friday to resign from the Manatee district.

Frazier, 35, has been charged by the state with seven counts of first-degree misdemeanor battery and three counts of interfering with a student's attendance.

The first reported incident dates back to August 2008 and the most recent allegedly occurred in December 2012. Frazier is to be arraigned Aug. 8.

His attorney, Eddie Mulock, has denied any wrongdoing by Frazier, and says the computer images sources say the police found don't exist.

Superintendent Rick Mills announced Tuesday that the district has reopened its investigation into the Frazier case; it is being led by recently hired investigator Troy Pumphrey.

Pumphrey declined comment Friday on the progress of his investigation, and on whether the district had been made aware of pornographic images on Frazier's computer this week.

It is not known if Frazier's computer contained pornographic photos of current or past Manatee High students, according to sources. If the images were of adults, it would not be considered a crime but would likely violate the district's code of conduct.

While Mills also declined to comment on any specifics of a personnel matter, he said that he accepted Frazier's resignation in lieu of termination.

"His file will be marked 'Do not hire,'" Mills said. "And he cannot be on school property."

The mother of a girl who wrote a letter delivered to Manatee High officials in January alleging inappropriate behavior by Frazier said Friday she is relieved by the resignation.

"I think that's awesome that he quit," she said. "But the question still remains, by him quitting does that mean he will still able to get another job at another school district?

"Half the battle is keeping him away from girls."

While Frazier did not have a teaching certificate for his parent liaison position, he is licensed by the state to coach.

If the school district determines that Frazier violated codes of conduct that could threaten his certificate, it could make a report to the state Department of Education. The department could conduct its own investigation into whether Frazier should keep his coaching certificate.

In a brief letter to Mills dated Friday, Frazier notified the district that he was resigning, effective immediately.

"I feel my resignation is in the best interest of all involved, including the school system and Manatee High," Frazier wrote.

Mills said the district had accepted Frazier's resignation and would continue its investigation into allegations against him.

Frazier has been under scrutiny since Feb. 8, when he was put on paid leave one day after the Herald-Tribune ran a story detailing the district's inquiry into a students' allegations that he had groped her.

That same day, Bradenton Police began an investigation that eventually included more than 50 witnesses, among them students, faculty and parents. On April 2, the police recommended to the State Attorney's Office that Frazier be charged with battery.

The police also recommended that four school administrators be charged with failure to report child abuse, a felony, and lying to police, a misdemeanor.

Those administrators are: former assistant superintendent Bob Gagnon, who is currently working with the district and still unassigned; former school investigator Debra Horne, who has transferred to an assistant principal position; Matthew Kane, a former Manatee High assistant principal who has since transferred to Southeast High; and current Manatee High assistant principal Gregg Faller.

The state has yet to make a decision on whether to charge the administrators.

On Friday, Mulock said he had advised Frazier that resigning might be in his best interest.

"The resignation letter speaks for itself," Mulock said. "He thought it was in the best interest of everybody to eliminate this issue so he can stay focused and defend himself against these false charges."

Mulock said the case might have made it impossible for Frazier to rejoin a school community, even if he is cleared of charges.

"He's ruined," Mulock said. "He's finished no matter what happens in the trial because of how you all have made him out to be."

Manatee High football coach Joe Kinnan could not be reached for comment on Friday.

EARLIER: Manatee High assistant football coach Rod Frazier, who was under school district investigation after police charged him with groping several students and staff last week, resigned today.

In a brief letter written to Superintendent Rick Mills and dated today, Frazier resigned effective immediately.

"I feel my resignation is in the best interest of all involved, including the school system and Manatee High," Frazier, 35, wrote.

According to a district press release, Mills has accepted Frazier's resignation.

Frazier's resignation comes a week after the state filed seven counts of battery and three counts of interfering with a student's attendance. On Tuesday, the school district resumed their own investigation, led by newly hired investigator Troy Pumphrey, as to whether Frazier could remain employed by the district.

The assistant football coach and Manatee High liaison has been under scrutiny since Feb. 8, when he was put on paid leave one day after the Herald-Tribune ran a story detailing the school district's quiet inquiry into groping allegations made against him.

That same day, Bradenton Police began an investigation that included more than 50 witnesses, including students, faculty and parents. On April 2, the police recommended to the State Attorney's Office that Frazier be charged with battery.

The police also recommended that four school administrators be charged with failure to report child abuse and lying to police. Those administrators includes former assistant superintendent Bob Gagnon, former school investigator Debra Horne, and Manatee High assistant principals Gregg Faller and Matthew Kane, who has since transferred to Southeast High.

The State Attorney has not yet decided whether to charge them.

The mother of a girl who wrote a letter to Manatee High in January alleging inappropriate behavior by Frazier said Friday she is relieved he stepped down.

“I think that's awesome that he quit,'' she said. “But the question still remains by him quitting does that mean he still able to get another job at another school district?“Half the battle is keeping him away from girls.''

Manatee High football coach Joe Kinnan could not immediately be reached for comment.

"I have accepted Mr. Frazier's resignation today in the interest of moving our school district forward," stated Superintendent Rick Mills in a press release. "We have an obligation to our School Board, community and the Florida Department of Education to conclude our internal investigation and we will proceed on that front."

Upon receiving the resignation, the school district has also banned Frazier from stepping on school property.

If the school district determines that Frazier violated codes of conduct that could threaten his coaching certificate, they could make a report to the state Department of Education. The department could opt to conduct its own investigation as to whether Frazier could keep a coaching certificate, which could affect whether he could coach in a school system again.

Reached this morning, Frazier's attorney Eddie Mulock said that he had advised Frazier that resignation might be in his best interest.

“The resignation letter speaks for itself,” Mulock said. “He thought it was in the best everybody to eliminate this issue so he can stay focused and defend himself against these false charges.”

Mulock said that what has become a high-profile and much speculated upon case may have made it impossible for Frazier to rejoin a school community, even if he is cleared of charges.

“He's ruined. He's finished,” Mulock said. “No matter what happens in the trial because of how you all have made him out to be.”